Comparative morphometrics of eggs and egg-pods of some Egyptian grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae, Pyrgomorphidae)

2017·0.24 MB·

by  Elsayed, W M

Correspondence

http/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D3FFF177-43C9-404A-8CDA-5AA90C3D495C

W. M. ElSayed1,2*), S. A. Abu ElEla1,3), N. M. Eesa1). COMPARATIVE
MORPHOMETRICS OF EGGS AND EGG-PODS OF SOME EGYPTIAN
GRASSHOPPERS (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDIDAE, PYRGOMORPHIDAE).
– Far Eastern Entomologist. 2017. N 329: 17-24.
1) Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza-12211-Egypt.
* Corresponding author, E-mail: [email protected]
2) Laboratory of Systematic Entomology, Division of Environmental Resources, Depart-
ment of Agrobiology and Bioresources, Hokkaido University, Japan.
3) Laboratory of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Department of Forest Science, Hokkaido
University, Japan.
Summary. The data on the structure and morphometrics of egg-pods and eggs of two
species of Pyrgomorpidae and eight species of Acrididae from El Manshiya district (Giza
governorate, Egypt) are given.
Key words: Orthoptera, Acridoidea, Pyrgomorphoidea, egg-pod, egg, chorionic sculpture,
froth, apical lid, egg mass index, Egypt.

В. М. Эльсаид, С. А. Абу-Эльэля, Т. М. Иса. Сравнительная морфо-
метрия яиц и кубышек некоторых египетских саранчовых (Orthoptera:
Acrididae, Pyrgomorphidae // Дальневосточный энтомолог. 2017. N 329. С.
17-24.
Резюме. Приведены данные по строению и морфометрии кубышек и яиц двух видов
семейства Pyrgomorpidae и 8 видов семейства Acrididae, собранных в округе Эль-Маншая
(Гиза, Египет).

INTRODUCTION

Information pertaining biodiversity and ecology of the grasshopper egg-pods in Egypt is
very poorly known together with the factors affecting the distribution of the egg-pods, abun-
dance and host plant selection by the adults is fragmentary. New data on the structure and
morphometrics of eggs and egg-pods of two species of Pyrgomorpidae and eight species of
Acrididae from Egypt are given below.
The area chosen for studying and collecting egg-pods (ca. 9 acres ≈ 3642 m2) is located
in El Manshiya district, Giza governorate, Egypt. This area is a part of the general plain of
Giza province, lying approximately between latitude of 30°46'4" N and longitude of
31°10'47" E. As general topography is concerned, it is a flat area devoid of any elevations.
Rurban abodes were located at all borders.
Regular weekly field excursions were performed for sampling and collecting different egg-
pods (from May till August). These pods were obtained from the most favored ovipositional
sites of adult female Acridomorpha species where pods would be expected pits appeared in
the ground surface that could contain pods (Waloff, 1950; Khalifa, 1956; Chapman & Ro-
bertson, 1958; Chapman, 1961; Shah et al., 1998; Shahpa, 2004; ElShazly & ElSayed, 2006;
Abu ElEla et al., 2010, 2012). Thus, searches took place along the edges of cultivated fields,

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along the lines of the irrigating trenches, on yards of wild vegetation, lower branches of shrubs
and bushes were excavated using bare hands and machetes where soil litters were removed.
These searches were extended to a radius of 3 meter from the main trunk. Care was taken in
collecting and handling to avoid breakage of the egg-pods.
The soil was scraped carefully with short-handle hoe in order to expose any egg-pod
which may have been present at a depth of 20-120 mm as suggested by Zafari & Qazi
(1989), Shah et al. (1998), ElShazly & ElSayed (2006), and Riffat & Wagan (2009). Pods
were lifted using small stainless steel scoop and these pods were deposited singly in labeled
empty glass jam jars (250 ml, diameter 6 cm and 11 cm deep) covered with cotton muslin.
Collected materials were brought to the laboratory and caged in small ventilated wooden
rearing cages (30 x 30 x 30 cm). These cages were placed under laboratory conditions where
the temperature regimes fluctuated between 26–38 ± 2oC, relative humidity of 60–68 ± 2%
and photoperiod of 12L: 12D. The temperatures, relative humidity and photoperiod regimes
were similar to the field conditions. Care was taken to supply the pods with moisture and
they were examined daily for the emergence of nymphs. Identification of the emerged
grasshopper species was carried up to species level by adopting the keys offered by Khalifa
(1956) and Shahpa (2004).
In general, a total of 506 egg-pods belonging to 10 different species were collected. In
order to record the quantitative analysis encompassing size and shape of the eggs and the
egg-pods; morphometric analyses were adopted in the current study using ocular micrometer
equipped in stereo-microscope. The arrangement of the egg mass within an egg-pod, the
mean number of eggs/pod, the color of the froth and eggs, the chorionic patterns and the
sculpture of the outer surface of the egg, which is often a characteristic of the species, were
applied to identify different acridomorphine eggs. The color of the chorion was based on the
spectrum offered by Munsell color system (Kuehni, 2002).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The egg-pods and eggs of the collected grasshopper species showed a great diversity in
their structure and morphometrics. Our present investigation yielded 506 egg-pods belonging to
10 different species (Table 1). In general, there was a large variation in the number of egg-
pods. Aiolopus thalassinus appeared to harbor the highest number of egg-pods (92 pods)
representing 18.4% of the total number of collected pods (Table 1). This was followed by
Acrotylus patruelis with 72 collected pods representing 14.2% of the total number of collected
pods. The least number of egg-pods was confined to Sphingoderus carinatus with only 17
egg-pods representing 3.36% of the total number of pods. Aiolopus thalassinus is assumed to
have greater ecological plasticity (Waloff, 1950; Khalifa, 1956; Zafari & Qazi, 1989;
Shahpa, 2004; ElShazly & ElSayed, 2006). Indeed, these variations in morphometrics of
eggs and egg-pods for each species could be summarized as follow.

Acrida bicolor (Thunberg, 1815)

The egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Acridinae) showed that the pods were cylindrical
and always straight. The pod exhibited a mean length of 3.56 cm. The frothy part was white
or buff in color and encompassed an average of 2.44 cm length (Fig. 1) with the absence of
apical lid (Table 1). The egg mass was arranged in 2 vertical series with an egg mass index of
2.25. The eggs were cylindrical and slightly curved at the distal part. The color of the eggs
was unmellow yellow and the mean length of an egg was 5.1 mm while the mean width was
0.46 mm (Table 2). The mean number of eggs was 22.3 eggs and the chorionic sculpture
formed of dots in rows on the surface of the eggs.

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Table 1. Number and morphometrics of egg-pods of the co-occurring grasshopper species
inhabiting the study site at Manshyia district, Giza, Egypt.

No. of Egg
Apical Froth No. of eggs Arrangement
Species collected mass
lid* color (mean ± SD) of eggs
pods index
white or 2 vertical
Acrida bicolor [54] - 22.3 ± 3.258 2.25
buff series
3-4 inclined
Acrotylus patruelis [72] - white 25.2 ± 1.924 2.389
series
white or
Aiolopus thalassinus [93] + 38.2 ± 3.271 2.263 4 radial series
buff
Calephorus white and 3 oblique
[68] + – 12.7 ± 2.787 2.5
comprissicornis fragile series
Chrotogonus shiny and 4-5 vertical
[45] - 28.33 ± 6.186 2.333
homalodemus light buff series
dark brown 2 vertical
Heteracris littoralis [52] - 34.5 ± 4.087 1.957
and coarse series
white to 3-4 inclined
Ochrilidia gracilis [58] + – 15.2 ± 2.588 1.231
silver series
4-6 inclined
Pyrgomorpha conica [21] + – white 35.4 ± 3.647 1.273
series
Sphingoderus silver to 2 inclined
[17] - 9 ± 4.183 1.615
carinatus brown series
white or 2 vertical
Truxalis nasuta [26] - 17.2 ± 2.49 2.355
buff series
*Apical lid: (-) – absent, (+) – present, (+ –) – occasionally present.

Acrotylus patruelis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1838)

The egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) showed that the pods were
cylindrical and straight with the mean pod length of 4.2 cm while the frothy mass exhibited a
length of 2.1 cm (Fig. 1) and the apical lid was completely missing in all examined pods
(Table 1). It has to be mentioned that the apical part of the pod was being protected by the
adhered soil particles where much of these particles could be noticed on searching of such
pods. Eggs were arranged in 3-4 inclined series. The color of the froth was white and this
species exhibited the highest value of egg mass index (2.389) among other co-occurring
species (Table 1). On the other hand, the color of the eggs was light yellow with scattered
fine dots on the surface of the chorion.

Aiolopus thalassinus (Fabricius, 1781)

The examined egg-pods if this species (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) were generally cylindrical,
straight and sometimes slightly bent at the bottom where the pod being broader at the basal
part and narrowed towards the distal part (Table 1). The mean length of pods was 4.28 cm. A
detachable thin apical lid could be always observed; this apical lid was almost covered with
soil particles. The frothy part comprised a mean length of 1.7 cm (Fig. 1). The froth color was
white or light buff (occurred in relatively moist and old pods. The egg mass index ranked this
species in the third rank with a value of 2.263 and the eggs were arranged in four radial
series. Concerning the eggs; they were canary yellow in color with the sculpture was formed
of scattered dots on the surface.

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Table 2. Color, morphometrics and chorionic sculpture of eggs of the co-occurring grass-
hopper species inhabiting the study site at Manshiya district, Giza, Egypt.

Morphometric (mm)
Chorionic
Species Color (mean ± SD)
sculpture
Length Width
Acrida bicolor unmellow yellow 5.1 ± 0.058 0.46 ± 0.114 dots in rows
Acrotylus patruelis light yellow 3.83 ± 0.153 1.1 ± 0.1 scattered fine dots
Aiolopus thalassinus canary yellow 4.5 ± 0.158 0.9 ± 0.1 scattered fine dots
Calephorus
canary yellow 3.64 ± 0.207 0.5 ± 0.122 scattered fine dots
comprissicornis
Chrotogonus analogous to
beige brown 4.04 ± 0.3 1.3 ± 0.158
homalodemus parenchyma tissue
hexagons with
Heteracris littoralis unmellow yellow 4.68 ± 0.259 0.9 ± 0.141 corner and center
spots
Ochrilidia gracilis goldenrod yellow 4.34 ± 0.207 0.88 ± 0.13 dots in rows
Pyrgomorpha conica jonquil yellow 4.68 ± 0.148 0.86 ± 0.182 fine hexagons
Sphingoderus carinatus canary yellow 4.72 ± 0.13 1.28 ± 0.164 no sculpture
Truxalis nasuta beige brown 5.58 ± 0.192 1.02 ± 0.217 dots in rows

Calephorus compressicornis (Latreille, 1804)

The egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Acridinae) showed that pods were cylindrical
and frequently straight. The apical lid was weakly formed and sometimes absent in some
collected pods (Table 1). The mean recorded length of pods of this species was 3.46 cm. The
frothy part was very delicate and fragile, compared to other examined co-occurring species,
and measured a mean length of 1.22 cm (Fig. 1). The eggs were arranged in three oblique
series and the recorded egg mass index exhibited a value of 2.5 (Table 1). An egg was about
3.64 mm in length and 0.5 mm wide whereas the color of the chorion was canary yellow with
scattered dots in the chorionic sculpture.

Chrotogonus homalodemus (Blanchard, 1836)

A total of 45 egg-pods of this species (Pyrgomorphidae: Pyrgomorphinae) were examined
and a typical pod was cylindrical and straight with the basal part slightly bent. The mean
length of the examined pods was 6.32 cm which proved to exhibit the second position, con-
cerning the mean length of pods, among other species examined (Fig. 1). The frothy part was
shiny and light buff in color and comprised a mean length of 2.18 cm and the apical lid was
always absent. The egg mass was arranged in 4-5 vertical series with egg mass index of 2.333.
Observations on the eggs showed that they were cylindrical tapering at the anterior pole where
the color of a typical egg was beige brown. The eggs exhibited characteristic chorionic sculp-
ture analogous to parenchyma tissue.

Heteracris littoralis (Rambur, 1838)

The majority of egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Eyprepocnemidinae) were cylindrical
and straight with basal part slightly bent with a mean length of 4.56 cm (Fig. 1). The egg mass
was arranged in two vertical series with the frothy part was coarse, dark brown (Table 1) and
comprised a mean length of 2.58 cm (Fig. 1). On the other hand, the egg mass index exhibited

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the seventh rank among other co-occurring species with a value of 1.957 (Table 1). The
apical lid of the pod was completely absent in all examined egg-pods. A typical egg of this
species was cylindrical and slightly curved at the distal part. The color of an egg was un-
mellow yellow with an average length of 4.68 mm and average width of 0.9 mm. Unique
chorionic sculpture of this species was detected in which peculiar hexagons with corner and
center spots were observed (Table 2).

Fig. 1. Egg-pod length and froth length (in centimeters) of co-occurring grasshopper
species inhabiting the study site at Manshiya district, Giza, Egypt.

Ochrilidia gracilis (Krauss, 1902)

Egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) were always cylindrical and straight
with egg mass arranged in 3-4 inclined series and the apical egg-pod lid was frequently
observed in some specimens while not recorded in others (Table 1). The mean length of the
examined pods was 1.94 cm. The frothy part ranged in color from white to silver and exhibi-
ted a mean length of 1.42 cm. The recorded egg mass index was 1.231 which displayed the
least value among other co-occurring species (Table 1). The eggs of this species were cylin-
drical and straight with goldenrod yellow color. The mean recorded dimensions of the eggs
were 4.34 mm in length and 0.88 mm in width and the chorionic sculpture of the eggs was in
the form of dots in rows.

Pyrgomorpha conica (Olivier, 1791)

This species (Pyrgomorphidae: Pyrgomorphinae) showed that the examined egg-pods
were cylindrical and always straight with 4-6 inclined series with the apical lid was com-
pletely absent (Table 1). The egg-pods exhibited a mean length of 4.32 cm while the frothy
part was white and comprised a mean length of 2.96 cm. With respect to the egg mass index;
a value of 1.273 was recorded which placed this species in the ninth rank concerning egg
mass index (Table 1). The eggs were straight and occasionally slightly bent toward the anterior

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pole with jonquil yellow color. The mean length and width of the eggs were 4.68 and 0.86
mm, respectively. The examined eggs were characterized by fine hexagons in the chorionic
sculpture.

Sphingoderus carinatus (Saussure, 1888)

The egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) were collected near Alhagi
maurorum (Medik, 1787) where no other grasshopper species could be observed in the
territory of Alhagi plantations. The least number of egg-pods (17 egg-pods) were collected
for this species and the egg-pods were cylindrical and always straight with two obvious
inclined series (Table 1). The mean length of pods of this species exhibited the least value
among other collected species at the study site and it was 1.28 cm (Fig. 1). In all examined
egg-pods of this species, the apical lid was always missing. The mean length of the froth was
about 1.3 cm with the color ranged from silver to brown. The mean egg mass index ranked in
eighth position compared to other values and the recorded index for this species was 1.615
(Table 1). The eggs of this species were cylindrical, straight and with canary yellow color.
The chorionic sculpture of a typical egg was lacking with the mean dimensions of an egg
were 4.72 and 1.28 mm in length and width, respectively.

Truxalis nasuta (Linnaeus, 1758)

The egg-pods of this species (Acrididae: Acridinae) were cylindrical and frequently
straight with air space present in many examined pods (17 egg-pods out of 26 examined
ones). Egg mass arranged in two vertical series. The highest mean length for egg-pods (7.52
cm) was exhibited by this species (Fig. 1). The frothy part was white or buff in color and
with mean length of 4.2 cm and the apical lid was absent. The egg mass index positioned this
species in the second rank with a value of 2.355. A typical egg was cylindrical and straight
tapering towards the anterior pole and beige brown in color. The mean dimensions of eggs
were 5.58 mm in length and 1.02 mm in width and the dots of the chorionic sculpture were
observed to be in rows.

The average number of eggs per pod varied among different species examined. Indeed,
Aiolopus thalassinus showed the maximum average number of eggs per pod among other
acridomorphine species. This was followed by Pyrgomorpha conica. On the other hand,
Sphingoderus carinatus exhibited the lowest average number of eggs per pod (9 eggs only).
Waloff (1950) reported that small numbers of eggs in the egg-pods occurred in some species
such as Stenobothrus lineatus (Panzer, 1796) (6 eggs) and Omocestus viridulus (Linnaeus,
1758) (10 eggs). Husain and Roonwal (1933) found that the number of eggs per pod varies
from 44-65 in Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål, 1775). Roonwal (1936) counted 35–43 eggs
per pod in Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758), while Acrida pellucida (= A. bicolor) it was
about 45–50 (Hafez & Ibrahim, 1958). Moreover, Hafez and Ibrahim (1962, 1964) found
about 55–60 and 45–50 eggs per pod in Aiolopus thalassinus and Sphingoderus carinatus,
respectively.
The low number of eggs could be attributed to the relatively low reproductive potential
which may reflects the fact that the population of Sphingoderus carinatus was relatively low
in Manshiya district as indicated by the relatively low number of collected egg pods (17 egg-
pods).
Concerning egg arrangement, Chapman & Robertson (1958) and Chapman (1961) repor-
ted two types of egg arrangements in the egg-pod (i) the eggs radially arranged so that their

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micropyler ends are visible all-around the pod (ii) the eggs bilaterally symmetrical arranged
so that their micropyler ends are visible on only one side of the pod. In the present investiga-
tion, the two types of egg arrangements were observed. Uvarov (1977), however, reported
some variation of these arrangements. Furthermore the arrangement of the eggs is often lost
when the fragile pod is dugout. In addition, Uvarov (1966) reported that the size of newly laid
egg mostly depends on the size of species; its length in small species is greater in relation to
the female body length than in large.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Shinichi Akimoto
and Prof. Dr. Takayoshi Koike (Hokkadio University, Japan) for their kind hospitality and
facilities offered to write and complete the manuscript.

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